The cocktail of a France that flies to the quarter-finals has simple ingredients. A great goalkeeper, an old striker transformed into an attacking midfielder, the tackle of a full-back accustomed to showing us great solos and finally a bit of luck. Deschamps gets rid of Belgium thanks to an own goal and heads for Hamburg, where he will await the winner of Portugal-Slovenia. In Dusseldorf Bondy’s boyfriend decides: Kolo Muani. His shot was deflected by Vertonghen. He and Mbappe were born in the same year and also in the same hospital, all 15 days apart. This time it was he who dragged France along.
lunges
—
The first half is a game of fencing. France and Belgium watch each other warily on the pitch from the Merkur Spiel-Arena, home of Fortuna Dusseldorf. Beware of anyone who leaves their mark. Doku tries to sting on the left and shows off his fine dribbling skills, then Mbappè tries to do the same on the other side. The number 10 of the Bleus, on the pitch with his usual mask, takes the ball in the left midfield and starts off with his head down, while Koundè – very wide in the offensive phase – places a couple of interesting crosses from the right, although when it comes to defending he struggles on the Openda-Doku axis. Tedesco’s two wingers are the extra weapons of the first 45′ for Belgium. Several opportunities: in the 24th minute Maignan deflects a dangerous free kick from De Bruyne with his feet, in the 27th minute Theo saves France by blocking a right-footed shot from Carrasco (Openda’s action on the left is excellent). In the last 10 minutes, France came out of their shell and threatened twice, first with a header from Thuram and then with a right-footed shot from Tchouameni that went very high. The best chance of the first half.
own goal
—
Belgium is alert. Tedesco has prepared the game down to the smallest details, but Deschamps’ France is a diesel. And it gains ground minute after minute. Casteels saves a corner on Tchouameni in the 49th minute, while Mbappè – always doubled, sometimes tripled – juggles two actions worthy of his name, but the most important flash is Theo. In the 61st minute he runs thirty meters of the field going to stop a slide attack by Carrasco, launched by the usual through ball by De Bruyne. Other attacks: the left-footed shots of Lukaku and Saliba, launched under the sectors of their own fans, made the stands vibrate. As did Mbappè, who in the last ten minutes started to play all over the field. A little to the right, a little to the left, then in the middle and in the three-quarter line. A technical leader like De Bruyne, who frees himself with 8′ to go, tries a lunge and imagines his Belgium in the quarter-finals, but in front of him is Magic Mike, good at blocking. And in the end France goes through: the action starts on the left, develops in the center with a first touch from Griezmann – now more of an attacking midfielder than a forward – and ends with a right-footed shot from Kolo Muani, helped by an unfortunate and decisive deflection from Vertonghen (86′). Belgium, strong in the usual dribbling by Doku, tries to raise its head, but by then it is too late. At the end of the match, Tedesco’s players are applauded by the yellow and red crowd under their sector, while the French fans – in a slight minority – loudly call the players under the curve. Deschamps will play in Hamburg on July 5. In his way are Ronaldo or Ilicic. There is little doubt about who he will cheer for.
